Hangin’ Judge
From 1863–69, five Confederate circuit judges formed a secret alliance to steal land, ruin their rivals, and eliminate anyone who stood in the way of their wealth and fame. Those who opposed them were framed for “hangin’ offenses,” and hauled to the nearest tree for a lynching. After six years of tyranny, the locals—mostly hot-blooded Texans— fought back. They rounded up all the judges and hung them from trees all along the Chisholm Trail as a warning to other authorities who would abuse their power. The Reckoners seized the opportunity to infuse the wicked spirits of the terrible judges with unholy energy and send them back to earth as abominations. Now the hangin’ judges stalk the Chisholm by night, terrorizing anyone who happens to cross their path. Modus Operandi They might decide wearing blue is illegal one day and whistling Dixie is a hangin’ offense the next. Being from Texas is always a heinous crime in these horrors’ evil book of the law. Whatever the “charge,” they decide to bring, the judges’ sentences are always death. And death is the judges’ stock in trade. Hangin’ judges are solitary and relentless hunters. Once they’re on someone’s trail, they stay with him until he’s dead or morning comes. If their quarry is killed, they string him up along the Chisholm Trail and paint the victim’s offense on his forehead in blood. The judges never speak except to whisper their prey’s offense over and over. Stats Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigor d8 Skills: Fighting d12, Intimidation d12, Shooting d12+2, Notice d8, Stealth d12, Tracking d12+2 Pace: 8; Parry:10; Toughness:6 Special Abilities: • Ambidextrous:Hangin’ judges are as deft with their left hand as they are with their right. The ignore the –2 off-hand penalty. • Colt Revolvers: The judges carry two single-action Army revolvers that never need reloading (12/24/48; 2d6+1; AP 1). • Fear (–2): Hangin’ judges are terrors to behold. • Fearless: Hangin’ judges are immune to Fear and Intimidation. • Improved Block:Hangin’ judges add +2 Parry. • Improved Dodge: Attackers subtract 2 from their Shooting and Throwing rolls, and the judges add +2 to rolls to evade area effect weapons (when allowed). • Improved Level Headed:A hangin’ judge draws two additional action cards and acts on the best. • Improved Nerves of Steel: Hangin’ judges ignore two points of wound penalties. • Invulnerability:The only way to destroy a judge is to hang ’im high (good luck there!). Bullets fired from a lawman’s gun can put them down, but unless they’re hung afterwards, they return the following night hell bent on vengeance. • Marksman: If a hangin’ judge does not move in a turn, he may fire as if he took the aim maneuver. • Pistol Scythes:Str+d6. The pistols of these horrors are fitted with scythes the judges can use in melee combat. A raise on the Fighting roll allows a judge to fire his pistol at the same target as a free action. • Stone Killers: Hangin’ judges roll a d10 Wild Die when firing their pistols. • Two-Fisted: When attacking with a weapon in each hand, the hangin’ judge ignores the multi-action penalty. • Coup: Hangin’ judges are horrors of the highest order. If a hangin’ judge is destroyed, a Harrowed gets the judge’s twin, autoloading Army revolvers as coup. They won’t fire even a single shot in the hands of a living person, however. Catagorie:Creepy Critters Category:Deadlands NPCs